


Going to Ground

by kanashimibeast



Series: OutcomeShipping [5]
Category: Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Also the L word is said, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Raihan does his best to be a good boyfriend for Leon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-03
Updated: 2019-12-03
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:47:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21662422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kanashimibeast/pseuds/kanashimibeast
Summary: Leon, the Undefeatable Champion, has been defeated. His crown is gone. After ten years without a loss, Leon's struggling to cope with the situation, and it's up to his rival and boyfriend to come to his rescue.
Relationships: Leon/Raihan
Series: OutcomeShipping [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1550740
Comments: 33
Kudos: 500





	Going to Ground

**Author's Note:**

> I had hoped to finish this much earlier, but things have been crazy in my personal life lately, so it got delayed. I hope you didn't mind the wait!
> 
> Also, I know that this idea has been done a couple times already, but I couldn't resist putting my own spin on it. There's just too much potential for drama and relationship-building to pass up.

The championship cup was over. The stadium was empty, the screens darkened, and the sun setting. A few corvisquire and rookidee squabbled over discarded chips and and crisps left under the seats, but aside from their squawking and chirping, the stadium was silent. The battle was over.

And Leon had lost.

He stood in the tunnel between the locker rooms and the pitch, staring out at the sunset as he tried to come to grips with the result. He’d lost. After more than a decade as the undefeated champion, he couldn’t claim that title anymore. The battle had been decisive. His crown was gone.

“You’re still here?”

Leon turned to see Raihan at the other end of the tunnel, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. Raihan raised an eyebrow at him. “If you’re trying to avoid the reporters, they’re long gone by now.”

Leon turned away. “I know,” he said, voice quiet. He wanted to tell Raihan to go on ahead and not worry about him, that he would be following soon enough, but he didn’t trust himself to speak. If he did, Raihan might hear how his voice shook. All he could do was stay silent.

Raihan came over to him and laid a hand on his shoulder. “Leon,” he said, uncharacteristically gentle as he turned Leon around to face him. “You’re allowed to be upset.”

“I’m not upset,” Leon said, but his voice cracked over the obvious lie. He swallowed hard and tried to speak without his voice cracking. “I knew this day would come eventually. It makes no sense to get upset.”

Raihan frowned. “Leon--”

“Really, I should be happy!” Leon forced a smile, but he hated how it wavered. “I always wanted to inspire the trainers of Galar to reach new heights, and they have! This is the start of a new era. The new champion will--”

“The new champion is an almost feral fifteen-year-old who spends all her free time diving into dynamax dens,” Raihan said, sharp enough to make Leon wince. “She has no public persona or plans for how to shape Galar’s future. She hardly ever _speaks._ Are you seriously telling me you’re okay with her taking your crown?”

Leon swallowed hard. “She’s young,” he said, somewhat feebly. “She’ll mature. I was only a child when I became champion, and I turned out fine.”

Raihan sighed. “Leon, I’ve seen the videos from back when you became champion,” he said. He squeezed Leon’s shoulder. “Yeah, you’ve matured since then, but you were already bright and charismatic. In all the interviews I saw how you would talk about your plans for Galar’s future, and you were only _ten_ . She’s _fifteen_. Maybe you’re right and the new champion will mature with time, but she’ll never be the public hero you were. I’m sure you realize that just as well as I do.”

Leon looked away. Raihan’s words stung, but they stung because Leon realized how right he was. “I know,” he said. “But I still want to be happy for her.”

Raihan gave him a look. “But you’re not.”

“I am! It’s just…” Leon shook, choking on a lump in his throat, and he wrapped his arms around himself. His voice cracked. “I’m also upset that I lost.”

Raihan hugged him tight. Leon held him and tried not to shake. “ I must have put on a pathetic performance out there,” he mumbled.

Raihan rubbed Leon’s back. “No way,” he said. “You and her had the most intense fucking battle I’ve ever seen. I genuinely thought you had her until she turned things around at the end, and from what I’ve seen on social media, everyone agrees that it was the best battle of your career.”  
Leon laughed bitterly. “How ironic that it’s also the first one I lost.”

Raihan frowned. “Leon…”

Leon looked away. “You can’t tell me you’re not bothered by this either,” he said, soft and shaky. “Aren’t you upset that I lost to someone other than you?”

“Of course I am!” Raihan scowled. “But I’m upset at the situation, not at you. Of course I wanted to be the one to beat you, but I wasn’t, and I gotta live with that. It’s not your fault at all. You gave it your all out there.”

“And it wasn’t enough!” Leon squeezed his eyes shut. “I wasn’t strong enough, for my team or for you! I _failed,_ Raihan! I failed _everyone!_ ”

Raihan stared at him, stunned by his outburst. Leon winced. “I’m sorry,” he said, softer this time. “I shouldn’t have yelled. That was… childish.”

“A little, yeah.” Raihan cracked a wry smile. “But considering that you haven’t lost a battle since you were ten, I don’t find it surprising that you still have the coping methods of a ten year old. I should consider myself lucky you’re not stomping your foot and throwing things.”

Leon scowled at him. Raihan held up his hands in apology. “Look, I already said I’m not upset with you,” he said. “Getting upset about a loss isn’t childish, it’s _human._ And yeah, you’re not great at dealing with it, but not a lot of people are. I think you’re doing pretty damn well, considering. You were all smiles when the cameras were on you earlier.”

“I wasn’t going to ruin her victory by being petty,” Leon said, somewhat feebly. “And I _am_ happy for her. She deserved her win.”

“See? You’re way more mature than most trainers I’ve met.” Raihan cupped Leon’s cheek in one hand and brought his head up so that their eyes met. “I’m real damn proud of you for keeping your composure out there on the pitch, but right now there’s no one here but me. You’re allowed to be upset if you want to be. I won’t tell anyone.”

Leon opened his mouth to say something, but all that came out was a croak. He tried again ad got the same result. The third time he took a deep breath, choked back a sob, and finally gave in and started crying.

Raihan pulled him close and held him tight. Leon clung to him and cried into his shoulder. “I’m sorry,” he said, choking it out between sobs and muffled into Raihan’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Raihan. I didn’t-- I didn’t want to lose, not like this, not when you wanted to beat me so badly. I wanted to keep winning. I-- I wanted everyone to see how strong I was…”

Tears ran down his cheeks. Raihan stroked his back and murmured something unintelligible but still soothing. Leon sniffled. “I wasn’t supposed to lose,” he said, weak and feeble. “I never wanted to lose, and I- I’m happy for her, but I also _hate_ it, I hate it so much, I feel so weak and useless and I just… I don’t… what am I supposed to do?”

He finally looked up at Raihan, helpless and seeking answers. Raihan frowned. “I don’t know,” Raihan said, voice soft as he stroked Leon’s hair. “But I’ll be right here beside you until you figure it out.”

Leon managed a sad smile. “Do you still want to be my rival even though I’m not the champion anymore?”

“Of course I do.” Raihan snorted. “I promised myself I would beat you, and I’m not giving up until I do. I don’t care about being champion, I never did. It was always about beating the sexiest goddamn trainer I’d ever met.”

Leon laughed. “I hope that wasn’t your attempt at flirting.”

“If it got you to laugh, it did its job.” Raihan grinned at him. “Look, I’m never going to stop being your rival. Nothing’s going to change that, not even you losing your crown. You’re stuck with me for life.”

“Then I’m lucky my rival is also my boyfriend.” Leon wrapped his arms around Raihan’s neck and leaned in, resting his forehead against Raihan’s. He smiled up at him. “And my biggest supporter.”

“Damn straight,” Raihan said, before he leaned in to kiss him.

Leon leaned into the kiss. Raihan held him with strong arms and kissed him gently, sweetly, not at all like the rough kisses Leon had come to expect from him, but Leon wasn’t complaining at all. If anything, it made him melt, knees going weak until he head to lean against Raihan for support. He still loved Raihan’s rough kisses, but damn, this had to give those a good run for their money.

Raihan pulled back, still grinning. “Feeling a little better?”

“Yes.” Leon closed his eyes and relaxed against him. “Thank you, Raihan.”

“It’s what I’m here for, Leon.” Raihan chuckled and kissed his forehead. “I love you too much to leave you miserable.”

“You lo--” Leon blinked, taking a moment to let Raihan’s words sink in. His eyes went wide. “Um… can you repeat that?”

Raihan also blinked, and then, surprisingly, he turned beet red. “Shit, that slipped out,” he muttered, looking down at his shoes. “You, uh… you don’t have to… shit, just don’t think about it too hard, okay?”

Leon stared at Raihan, his mouth dry. He had to swallow at least twice before he could speak. “Raihan,” he said, softly, gently, as he cupped Raihan’s face in his hands and smiled up at him. “I love you too.”

Raihan made a strangled noise and yanked him in for a kiss. This kiss was a little rougher, just like Leon had come to expect from him, and he laughed into it. “Love you,” he murmured against Raihan’s lips.

“You’re no fucking fair,” Raihan said as he pulled back. Despite what he said, he was grinning from ear to ear. “Damn it, I love you. Might as well just put it out there. Champion or not, you’ll always be number one in my book.”

“Mhmmm.” Leon closed his eyes, thinking over what Raihan said. “And maybe that’s for the best,” he murmured. The bulk of his disappointment had passed, and in its absence, the gears in his brain started turning. “Someone needs to take over for the chairman, after all. Who knows, maybe I’ll be able to get more done if I’m not constantly worrying about public appearances and exhibition battles. And with the new champion being so young and unprepared--”

“Hey, hey, you can make plans later.” Raihan nudged him. “At least take a fucking day off before you jump from champion to chairman. Personally, I intend to take you out to dinner for some of the best Kantonian food in Wyndon, and then we’re going right back to the hotel so I can fuck the rest of your worries away.”

Leon burst out laughing. “How romantic of you.”

“Hey, I’m buying you dinner first. That’s peak romance coming from me.” Raihan flashed a playful grin. “You up for it or not?”

“You know I am.” Leon smiled, pushing aside his plans for the future so he could think about them later. There was still time to figure it out. Right now that time was better spent focused on someone very near and dear to him. “Thank you, Raihan.”

Raihan chuckled and pulled him close. “Anything for my rival.”


End file.
